Revolver having removable cylinder

ABSTRACT

A revolver includes a frame and a crane pivotally connected to the frame. Upon the crane is releasably mounted a cylinder. The crane may be pivoted between a closed position, in which the cylinder is disposed within the frame in firing position, and an open position, in which the cylinder is free of the frame and may be quickly removed from the crane. The cylinder incorporates a ratchet-ejector mechanism which is operated to eject spent cartridges within the chambers of the cylinder by moving the cylinder over a projection integral with the frame.

United States Patent Baker 1 Jan. 23, 1973 1 REVOLVER HAVING REMOVABLE 1,898,237 2/1933 Bocco ..42/59 NDE 3,280,495 10/1966 Lewis 4.42/59 2,771,696 ll/l956 Kopf et al. ..42/1 R [75] Inventor: Richard L. Baker, Wallmgford,

Conn Primary ExaminerBenjamin A. Eiorchelt [73] Assignee: Colt Industries Operating C0rp., Ass stant EXaminerC.T. ordon New York, N.Y. Attorney-Radford W. Luther [22] Filed: April 22, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl' l36339 A revolver includes a frame and a crane pivotally connected to the frame. Upon the crane is releasably [52] US. Cl. ..42/62,42/59, 42/89 mounted a cylinder. The crane may be pivoted [51] lnt.Cl ..F41c 1/00,F42b 39/04 between a closed position, in which the cylinder is [58] Field of Search ..42/62, 59, 68, 89 disposed within the frame in firing position, and an open position, in which the cylinder is free of the [56] R r n C t d frame and may be quickly removed from the crane. The cylinder incorporates a ratchet-ejector UNITED STATES PATENTS mechanism which is operated to eject spent cartridges 884,119 4/1908 Zaiser ..42/68 within the chambers of the cylinder by moving the 2,082,288 6/1937 Hillyard ..42/59 cylinder over a projection integral with the frame. 3,453,763 7/1969 Barr et al.... ..42/59 151,882 6/1874 Jones ..42/59 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures REVOLVER HAVING REMOVABLE CYLINDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to revolvers.

Under certain circumstances, it is desirable to render a firearm safe so that it may be stored in a somewhat accessible location in a condition in which it cannot possibly be fired. The problem with prior art firearms is that they cannot be safely stored in an inoperative condition without extensive modifications to render them harmless. While magazine-type firearms, which are well known in the prior art, can have their magazines removed, this operation does not prevent use of the firearm since it still possesses a single shot capability. Succinctly stated, the problem then is to provide a firearm which can be quickly rendered operative or inoperative at the discretion of a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a revolver having a quickly removable and replaceable cylinder, thereby enabling the revolver to be safely stored without the cylinder. Thus, a revolver according to the invention may be stored in locations which may otherwise be regarded as insecure and quickly assembled into an operative firearm when a subsequent need for use is envisioned.

A revolver according to the invention is also capable of yielding greater fire power since a user may carry a plurality of loaded cylinders which may be successively expended. Also, each cylinder may be loaded with a different type of cartridge (e.g., low velocity cartridges and high velocity cartridges).

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a revolver which may be safely stored in insecure locations.

Another object is to provide a revolver having a quickly attachable and removable cylinder.

Yet another object is to provide a revolver having a greater fire power capability.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary side elevational view of a revolver incorporating the invention with the cylinder in a closed or operative position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the revolver of FIG. 1 with the cylinder in its swung out or open position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the revolver of FIG. 1 in which the cylinder has been removed from the crane and inserted over the projection to eject the cartridges therein.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of the cylinder and crane in the FIG. 2 position showing the detailed construction of the cylinder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention in a revolver-type hand gun It). The revolver includes a frame 12 having a barrel 14 secured thereto and a hammer 16 adapted to be operated by a trigger 18. The details of the firing mechanism of the revolver of FIG. 1 form no part of this invention and hence will not be described. A removable cylinder 20 is releasably mounted upon a crane 22 pivotally secured to the frame 12 for movement between a closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, and an open position, as shown in FIG. 2, about longitudinally extending axis X)(. It will be appreciated that the construction of the revolver of FIG. 1, insofar as it has been described, is generally conventional.

Suitably secured to the frame 11.2, and forming an integral portion thereof, is a hand grip 24 which bears the legend stolen property, so that when the cylinder 20 is removed from the revolver 110, the procurement of a replacement cylinder from a reputable source will be made difficult. Attached to the front side of the crane 22 is a projection 26 which may serve to operate the ejector mechanism of the cylinder 20, as will be described hereinafter. The projection 26, as best shown in FIG. l, is received within a cavity 28, formed in the lower portion of the barrel 14, when the crane is in its closed position, illustrated in FIG. I. When the crane is swung out from the closed position of FIG. 1 to the open position of FIG. 2, the cylinder 20 may be quickly removed from the revolver.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cylinder 20 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced chambers 30 which are each adapted to contain a cartridge. The chambers 30 are maintained in coaxial alignment with the barrel 14 in their respective firing positions by the coaction between a cylinder locking mechanism (not shown) and a plurality of cylinder locking; cuts 32, the locking cuts corresponding in number to the cylinder chambers 30. Cylinder 20 embodies a centrally disposed, axially extending passages 34 in which a. hollow tube 36, integral with the rear or right side of crane 22, is received for rotatably mounting the cylinder 20 upon the crane. Integral with the cylinder 20 is the usual ratchet-ejector member 38 which includes a ratchet 40 and an ejector 42, the ejector 42 being seated within the cylinder 20 so as to define portions of the respective seats for the cartridge rims. Within the recess 34 is a longitudinally extending ejector stern d4 integral with the ratchet ejector 38. An annular guide structure 46 is immovably mounted in the cylinder 20 adjacent the ejector 42 for guiding the axial movement of the stem 44 relative to the wall of the passage 34 during ejection of the spent cartridges in the chambers 30. The outer periphery of the guide structure 46 isserrated so that it may be press fitted into the illustrated position in cylinder 20. The guide structure 46 also functions as a spring seat for a compression spring 48 coiled around the stem 44. The end or the tip of the stem M is defined by an allen screw 50 which is threadably inserted into the stem to retain a washer 52 upon which the other end of the spring 48 is seated. As can be seen from FIG. 4, when the cylinder 20 is mounted upon the crane 22, the stem is received within the tube 36 such that the end thereof is spaced from the crane 22. In this position, the reduced portion 54 of the cylinder 20 abuts the crane 22 wherein a small clearance is defined between the guide 46 and the end of tube 36.

In order to lock the crane in the closed position, a cylinder bearing pin, which is spring loaded, is partially received within a depression (not shown) located in the center of the ratchet 40. The bearing pin is adapted to be coaxially retracted away from bearing engagement with the cylinder 20 by a slide 41, which is movable against the bias provided by the spring load on the bearing pin to permit angular displacement of the crane about the axis XX from the closed to the open position. Upon returning the crane to the closed position, the bearing pin is urged against its spring load by the ratchet until it snaps into the depression, thereby locking the crane in the closed position.

After the cartridges in the cylinder 20 have been fired and it is desired to remove the spent cartridges 56 from the cylinder, the crane is swung outwardly from its closed position to its open position. Next, the cylinder 20 is removed from the tube by grasping it and moving it axially over the tube toward the right or the rear of the revolver 10. The reduced portion of the cylinder 20 is subsequently inserted over the end of the projection 26 and the cylinder 20 is moved toward the rear until the tip of the projection 26 contacts the end of the stem 44, the end being defined, of course, by the allen screw 50. Further movement of the cylinder 20 over the projection 26 causes the ratchet ejector to be driven out of its seated position upon the cylinder 20, thereby removing the spent cartridges 56 (FIG. 3) from their respective chambers 30. After removal of the spent cartridges 56, the cylinder 20 is moved off of the projection 26, thereby causing the return of the ratchet ejector 38 to its seated position under the urging of spring 48. In this condition, the cylinder 20 may now be reloaded with fresh cartridges either before or after mounting the cylinder 20 upon the tube 36.

In order to achieve maximum fire power from the revolver 10, it is necessary for a user thereof to have a number of loaded cylinders at his disposal. Thus, after expending all the cartridges in a cylinder, a user need only move the crane from the closed position to the open position, remove the cylinder from the tube 36,

place a loaded cylinder on the tube 36, and then move the crane to the closed position. This manner of operation would be somewhat similar to that employed with magazine-type firearms.

Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a revolver, the combination comprising:

a frame having a recess therein;

a crane pivotally mounted upon the frame for movement about a longitudinally extending axis between a closed and an open position;

a longitudinal tube integral with the crane and extending from a side thereof;

a cylinder having a plurality of circumferentially spaced chambers adapted to receive cartridges and a centrally disposed, axially extending passage adapted to receive the tube such that the cylinder is rotatable thereabout and axially slideable thereover, the cylinder lying with the recess in the closed position of the crane, and lying without the recess in the open position of the crane;

a displaceable ejector seated at one end of the cylinder for ejecting spent cartridges therefrom; an axially extending stem integral with the e ector movably mounted within the passage such that the tube is interposed between the stem and the wall of the passage when the passage receives the tube; means to bias the ejector into the seated position;

and a longitudinally extending projection integral with the crane, the projection being receivable within the passage for contacting the stem and urging the ejector away from the seated position to thereby eject the spent cartridges from the chambers. 

1. In a revolver, the combination comprising: a frame having a recess therein; a crane pivotally mounted upon the frame for movement about a longitudinally extending axis between a closed and an open position; a longitudinal tube integral with the crane and extending from a side thereof; a cylinder having a plurality of circumferentially spaced chambers adapted to receive cartridges and a centrally disposed, axially extending passage adapted to receive the tube such that the cylinder is rotatable thereabout and axially slideable thereover, the cylinder lying with the recess in the closed position of the crane, and lying without the recess in the open position of the crane; a displaceable ejector seated at one end of the cylinder for ejecting spent cartridges therefrom; an axially extending stem integral with the ejector movably mounted within the passage such that the tube is interposed between the stem and the wall of the passage when the passage receives the tube; means to bias the ejector into the seated position; and a longitudinally extending projection integral with the crane, the projection being receivable within the passage for contacting the stem and urging the ejector away from the seated position to thereby eject the spent cartridges from the chambers. 